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. 2025 Aug 8;493(Pt 2):145822.
doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.145822. Online ahead of print.

Innovative emulsification and freeze-drying techniques for developing heat-resistant chocolates with tunable textures and sensory attributes

Qianqian Li  1 , Lulu Zhang  1 , Xi Zhang  2 , Jie Zhang  3 , Shuaijia Zhang  2 , Ting Xu  2 , Yuhui Wang  2 , Ruyi Geng  2 , Ashraf Nagib  4 , Yilei Li  3 , Yulin Hu  3 , Yuyue Wang  2 , Ting Zhao  2 , Lijuan Luo  2 , Chao Ma  5 , A M Abd El-Aty  6
Affiliations

Innovative emulsification and freeze-drying techniques for developing heat-resistant chocolates with tunable textures and sensory attributes

Qianqian Li et al. Food Chem. .

Abstract

The development of heat-resistant chocolate that meets customer preferences has been a longstanding challenge for both industry and academia. This study presented an innovative method for producing freeze-dried (FD) chocolate with enhanced heat resistance by integrating emulsification and freeze-drying technologies without altering the chocolate composition. Cryo-electron microscopy and X-ray microscopy revealed a unique microstructure in the product, where water-soluble components, such as sugar, formed a matrix that encapsulated fat-soluble components such as cocoa butter, providing heat resistance up to 70 °C. The check-all-that-apply (CATA) sensory methodology shows that consumers also favor FD chocolate for its crispiness and non-stickiness. The emulsification process was crucial in the formation of a unique microstructure. Key parameters, such as the water/solid ratio, sugar/cocoa solid ratio and emulsification method, significantly influence the viscosity and stability of the oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion and the heat resistance, texture, and sensory properties of the resulting FD chocolate.

Keywords: Cocoa; O/W emulsion; Sensory property; Thermal stability.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.